Feeling stuck between renting and buying after separation

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Advice forum

JustMe
01.04.2026 14:26:00

7

Hi everyone,

I’m a few months into separation and starting to think about what comes next in terms of housing, and I’m finding it harder than I expected.

We’ve agreed in principle to sell the family home later this year once a few things are sorted, but in the meantime I’ve moved into a rented flat nearby so I can stay close to the kids (they’re 11 and 13 and live mainly with their mum).

The issue is I feel a bit stuck. Renting feels like money going nowhere, but I’m also not in a position to buy yet until everything is finalised. I keep looking at properties thinking I should just “get on with it”, but I don’t actually know what I’ll be walking away with financially.

Part of me also worries about making the wrong decision too quickly, especially with house prices and interest rates the way they are. At the same time, renting feels temporary and a bit unsettled, like I haven’t properly moved forward.

Did anyone else go through this stage of being in between?
Did you wait until everything was finalised before buying, or take a bit of a leap earlier?

Would really appreciate hearing how others approached this, as I feel a bit in limbo at the moment.

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